Note: Wilkins tells NJ.com he has moved next week's Rutgers unofficial visit up from Friday to Tuesday.

Monday, the Scarlet Knights extended a tender to 6-3, 295-pound offensive guard/defensive tackle Kevin Wilkins. The St. Joseph Regional
(Montvale, N.J.) standout had received conditional tenders previously, but his latest offer
from Rutgers is as solid as they come. Originally, the Rutgers staff was concerned
about Wilkins' academic struggles. But the dancing bear has since improved his
effort in the classroom and believes he is now on track to qualify.

Although disappointed to not have received a tender from his
state school earlier in the recruiting process, Wilkins takes full
responsibility for having to earn his offer the hard way.

"I knew the whole situation. A scholarship costs a lot of money
and they aren't gonna offer a kid whose grades aren't good," he
said. "So, at first, they weren't gonna take a chance. I know they weren't gonna
offer me. But now they are willing because I started getting my act straight
and I'm actually busting my (butt) in the classroom. So, they are taking a chance
on me and I'm gonna prove them right."

Wilkins recently proving his defensive capacity also contributed to Rutgers' decision to offer him. So far this season, he has ascertained dominance in the trenches from his new-found defensive tackle post.

"It's not really a big difference. All through little
league, I played middle linebacker and running back," he said. "And then when I
got to high school that's when I got switched to offensive guard, and I played
a little bit of defense my sophomore year at (Don) Bosco.

"But I don't think I'm like everybody else," Wilkins
continued. "There are some guys who are made to be offensive guys and there are
some guys who are made to be defensive guys. And I think I can do both. As you
can see from my highlight tape, I can make plays on both sides of the ball."

The Scarlet Knights taking a chance on Wilkins could also lead
to success within the recruiting class of 2015. The Rutgers staff has offers out to
both Tommy Hatton and Joe Giles-Harris – both teammates of Wilkins.

"T.T. (Tommy Hatton) and I, we talk about playing together
at every school. He said that if you go somewhere, I'll go there. And I know
that he's really high on Rutgers," Wilkins said. "And he's always been telling
me, 'Get your grades up so we can play together.' And I know he loves Rutgers
and I've always liked Rutgers, too. So If I commit, there's a very good chance T.T. is gonna commit to Rutgers his senior year."

Maryland, Nebraska, Miami, Boston College, UCF and Temple
are additional schools recruiting Wilkins. Although – outside of Rutgers – UConn
appears the only other school to have a solid offer out to Wilkins. However,
Wilkins says the Huskies releasing head coach Paul Pasqualoni has decreased the
school's chances of attaining his pledge.

Wilkins admits Rutgers is currently his No. 1 school, and will take an unofficial visit to the banks Oct. 11, during St. Joe's bye week. He plans to visit campus with his parents and learn more about the academic side of the institution.